Roll-changing and web-splicing machine for web rolls of material



June 21, 1966 P. c. RIEGGER 3,257,085

ROLL-CHANGING AND WEB-SPLICING MACHINE FOR WEB ROLLS OF MATERIAL Original Filed Feb. 20, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 y v m AWWA m WWWAVW 1 7 Epic 14 /3 7 T -v.1 W m June 1966 P. c. RIEGGER ROLL-CHANGING AND WEB-SPLICING MACHINE FOR WEB ROLLS 0F MATERIAL Original Filed Feb. 20, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Er n5 June 21, 1966 P. c. RIEGGER 3,257,085

ROLL-CHANGING AND WEB-SPLICING MACHINE FOR WEB ROLLS 0F MATERIAL Original Filed Feb. 20, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.4 F I; 7

j E I? 1 T 33 L h O O O O O J7 H 6 Fig. 9

I a L "6 'b w "6 United States Patent 3 257 085 ROLL-CHANGING ANl) WEB-SPLICING MACHINE FOR WEB ROLLS 0F MATERIAL Paul Charles Riegger, 7 Rue Ehrmann, Strasbourg, France Continuation of application Ser. No. 90,422, Feb. 20, 1961. This application Dec. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 243,952

Claims priority, application France, Feb. 20, 1960, 6,860, Patent 1,270,013 2 Claims. (Cl. 24258.3)

The present invention relates to a reel-changing and strip-splicing machine for reeled strips of material.

This is a continuation of the co-pending application, Serial No. 90,422, filed February 20, 1961, now abandoned.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a splicing machine for interconnecting webs of paper or the like material carried by reels or supplied and adapted to feed printing machines or machines for the transformation of the strip material.

. The exchange of a fresh roll for an exhausted roll feeding such machines leads to a loss of time and material. The automatic roll-changing means used before with a View to cutting out such losses of time and material are generally very slow in operation and require that the operator reduces the speed and, consequently, the machine, which is being fed during the change, requires a very intricate mechanism which is costly and bulky.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a roll-changing and web-splicing machine for reeled webs of material, wherein the drawbacks of the known structures are avoided.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a roll-changing and web-splicing machine for reeled webs of material, which comprises an unwinding and splicing machine acting in a manner such that the exchange of the rolls, that is, the connection of the end of'the web of material of an exhausted web with the start of a fresh web, may be obtained reliably by a simple structure at a high speed.

As in the case of other roll-changing arrangements, the machine designed in accordance with the present invention includes an arrangement designed for obtaining the alternating setting of at least two rolls, respectively, in a position feeding the operative machine and in a waiting position. The present machine cooperates with an arrangement which serves for splicing automatically the webpassing olf the operative roll with the replacing roll. This arrangement, which carries the rolls, consists advantageously of two identical arms carried by a common pivot housed in a frame provided for this purpose.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a roll-changing and web splicing machine for reeled webs of material, wherein the arrangement cooperating with the reel carrier to connect the exhausted web with the start of the fresh web comprises a member constituted by a brush or :a roller urging the web passing off the roll which is about to be exhausted overothe start of the web, the end of which has been previously glued for this purpose, On the other hand, the means cut- .ting off transversely the rear end of the operative web may comprise a knife having a toothed or rectilinear cutting edge. The proposed arrangement operates in such manner that the movement of a lever produces first the engagement of the two webs and then the cutting off of the web passing off the exhausted web, the transverse edges cut across the cooperating web ends being then located at a predetermined mutual distance.

It is also another object of the present invention to provide a roll-changing and web-splicing machine for webs of material, wherein there is provided, furthermore, a means for causing a rotary movement to the roll which is adapted to replace the exhausted roll, which means the subsequent operations.

ice

is actuated in synchronism with the operative machine and including chiefly driving means acting, for instance, on the periphery of the exhausted roll. These driving means are started immediately before the splicing is performed, with a view to transmit to the substitute roll a peripheral speed equal to the linear speed with which the operative machine drives the operative web.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a roll-changing and web-splicing machine for webs of material, wherein the splicing between the operative web, when cut off automatically, and the beginning of the web on the new roll may be obtained either by means of a lap joint, or by a butt joint, in which latter case the two webs are interconnected by a covering web section secured over at least one of the surfaces of the two webs and extending to either side of the middle of thesmall gap between the two transverse edges of these webs.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a roll-changing and web-splicing machine for webs of material, wherein the length of overlapping in 'case of a lap joint and particularly the distance between the cooperating transverse edges of the webs in case of a butt joint are as uniform as possible, in order to simplify In accordance with the present invention this result is brought about by a template providing a directional relationship between the position of the transverse edge forming the start of the fresh roll and the release of the cutting knife, which cuts the end of the operative exhausted roll, that is the roll to be replaced. For this purpose a mass forming an abutment is secured to one side of the roll adjacent its periphery in a predetermined angular position with reference to the transverse edge forming the start of the fresh roll.

This positioning of the stop or abutment is obtained such that a template is mounted on one side of the roll, which has on the one hand, an opening complementary to the outer shape of the abutment and which has, on the other hand, a profiled end which is supposed to coincide with the transverse edge forming the starting point of the web and which has, furthermore, two eye bolts supported on the periphery of the roll.

The peripheral spacing between the radius passing through the web on the exhausted roll, and the radius passing through the operative surface of the abutment, is adjusted preliminary in such manner, that the engagement of the abutment with the member releasing the splicing operations may have as its result either an overlapping of the two webs, whereby the web on the exhausted roll is equipped with glue or is extended by an adhesive tag, or an endwise engagement of the two transverse edges forming the end of one web and the start of the other web, whereby an adhesive connecting web connecting the two webs is provided on one of their surfaces, or, over both of their surfaces.

The release of the splicing operations by the abutment can be performed in ditferent manners.

At first the abutment can operate mechanically directly a lever which releases springs, which have been previously set and which throw forwardly in succession a pressure roller and the knife for performing thecorresponding working steps. The abutment can operate, however, also an electric contact closing an electric circuit which includes an electro-magnet or the like which releases or causes the pressure and cutting operation.

When the nature or the thickness of the webs to be interconnected requires the use of a butt-splicing, it is possible to resort to the same manner of applying the ad hesive connecting web as for a lap joint by securing the connecting web to the transverse edge of the web of the splicing operation.

In case the fresh roll does not rotate in a uniform manner or when it is desired to change the direction of rotation of the roll, this connecting web can be applied by an intermediate roller, on which it may be secured previously by means of adhesive or suction means.

Upon starting rotation of the fresh roll, the abutment set by the template has such angular spacing from the starting edge of the fresh roll, that the connecting web secured to the roller overreaches at its center the starting edge of the fresh roll, upon engagement and unwinding from this roller.

When the rigidity or working conditions require an endwise splicing, in which the application of an single connecting web is insuflicient, it is possible to provide a second connecting web by means of a pressure roller disposed on the other side of the operative web, the operation of the latter being normally combined with that of the knife cutting the web which is to be replaced.

This second connecting web is likewise secured to this outer pressure roller such, that it is unwound correspondingly, upon appearance of the starting edge of the roll to be replaced, that the middle of the connecting web overlaps the middle of the space between the two edges of the two webs to be spliced together and in particular the side of the web facing the outsideof the fresh roll.

The securing of an adhesive connecting web on its pressure roller must be possible without resorting to the use of parts extending beyond the cylindrical surface of the pressure roller.

To this end, in accordance with the present invention, small faces are provided along two generating lines of the pressure roller disposed, respectively, under the two terminal edges of the connecting web which small faces may have adhesive or suction effects. The adhesive or suction capacity of each of the small faces must be measured such that the sum of the effects of the faces disposed on a generating line is lower than the adhesive capacity of the section of adhesive area of the connecting web, which is pressed by its pressure roller against the web to be spliced.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the'accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a general diagrammatic side elevation of the machine, designed in accordance with the present invention and indicating the splicing means prior to the splicing operation;

FIGS. 1a, lb and show schematically three embodiments of the spliced joints;-

FIG. 1d is a diagrammatic side elevation of the machine similar to FIG. 1 indicating the splicing means after the splicing operation;

FIG. 1e is a fragmentary end view of the stop attached to the web roll;

FIGS. 2, 2a, 2b and 20 show schematically different embodiments of the means for securing a stop or abutment on the reel;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of another embodiment of the machine, designed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary front elevations of different embodiments of the splicing means; and

FIGS. 7, 8 and'9 are corresponding sections of the splicing means.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, showing the complete machine where the unwinding poll revolves clockwise, the web, which has been unwound, is fed, as shown on the right-hand side of the drawings, towards the working machine. As illustrated, the operative supply or the roll 1 is unwound, while it is carried by two bearings (not shown) secured to the upper ends of a douhle armed member 2 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, the substitute supply or the roll 3 being already positioned in the lower bearings 3 of :the same double-armed member 2 while the opposite end has the bcaring 1. A stop 4 or abutment is secured to the side of the supply or roll 3 of conventional structu-re'at an exactly predetermined point disposed opposite the starting edge 5 of the substitute supply or roll 3, which starting edge 5 carries already an adhesive connect-ing web 6, the projecting half of which is to be glued to the end of the web 7 of the unwinding roll 1. The stop 4 is adapted to engage a three-armed lever 38, one arm of which is within the path of the stop 4, while another arm of which engages an abutment of a lever 12' carrying a roller 12 and pivotally mounted on the machine. A spring 39 urges the roller 12 toward the supply roll 3. Upon engagement of the stop 4 with the one arm of the lever 38, the latter is turned and releases the roller 12 toward the supply roll 3 and thereby joins the web 7 with the adhesive connecting web 6. A spring 40 urges a knife 13 toward the web 7 running out, yet is retained by the other arm of the three-armed lever 38, which abuts a'lever 13 pivotally mounted on the machine ond carrying the knife 13 against a counter-pressure bar 41. The lever 13 is released and the cutting operation is performed by the action of the spring 40 upon abutment of the stop 4 on the one arm of the lever 38.

A roller 8, rotatably mounted on bearings secured to the end of a pair of pivoting 'levers 9, receives, by means of a transmission belt 10 connecting the roll-er 8 with the working machine 11, a peripheral speed equal to the linear speed of progression of the webs inside the machine 11 to be fed.

FIG. 1 shows this supply-driving roller 8 at the very moment at which it is in engagement with the substituted supply or roll 3, just shortly before the web of the unwinding roll 1 is completely unwound.

The splicing means, including the pressure roller 12 and the knife '13, as set forth above, are then already in position for operation and locked in their operative position.

FIG. 1a shows one splicing joint of the ends of the two webs 7 and 7 with the application of an adhesive connecting strip 7 to be applied over the ends to be connected, as well as the knife 13 which is adapted to cut off the end of the unwinding web 7, which has almost finished unwinding from the roll 1.

FIG. lb shows one embodiment of the butt-splicing of the two webs 7 and 7 with the application of a second connection web 7 over the opposite surfaces of the web, in addition to a first connecting web 7' by means of the pressure roller 12, to constitute a second embodiment of the splicing means.

FIG. 1c shows another embodiment of butt-splicing according to which the butt-splicing is obtained by means of a single connecting web 7.

FIGS. 2 and 2a show more clearly the template T inserted into the side of the supply or roll 3, namely into the web of the roll 3 with its two pins 14 engaging the periphery of the roll 3. The rear edge E of the outline of the template T must register or coincide with the start? ing edge of the web of the fresh reel 3. The abutment 4 is inserted into the opening 16 of the template T and is, therefore, disposed in a predetermined position with reference to the start of the web of the fresh reel 3.

Dependent upon the position of the edge Ewith reference to the operative face or forward marginal line 4 of the abutment 4, it is possible to bring about a connection with an overlapping or an endwise splicing.

FIGS. 2b and 20 show two additional embodiments of means for securing the abutment 4 on the fresh roll 3, and in particular FIG. 2b shows a stop 4 which is attached to the roll 3 by means of a layer of glue 4 while FIG. 2c shows pins 4 projecting from the abutment 4 which is provided with a groove 4" adapted to be engaged by a curved member, which permits the release of the abutment 4 after an angular advance of the roll 3.

Referring now again to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 3, another embodiment of the present invention is disclosed, wherein the fresh reel 3 is subjected to rota tion and the abutment 4 engages an electrical pivoting contact-member 17, which closes a circuit energizing an electromagnet 18-, the core of which controls a locking lever 19 provided with a notch 19a, which releases a knife 13. The latter passes through and cuts off the end of the unwinding web 7 which engages, to this end, with its other surface, a holding member 20, the slot of which corresponds with the measurements of the knife 13.

In order to set into motion the roll 3, a manually operated lever 20 is moved in the direction of the arrow F into the position illustrated in the drawing (FIG. 3).

A frame 21 secured to a spindle 21' for pivot-a1 movement is simultaneously set into operative position and locked by a catch 22. At the same time, an arm 23 secured to the lever 20 engages a cam 24 which, by means of a spring 25 tensions a lever 26 carrying the knife 13' in its position ready for the next operation. A 'lever 24' carries also a brush 12', which urges the rear end of the unwinding web 7 toward the web of the fresh roll 3. An arm 27, forming an extension of the lever 20, acts on a spuing 28 guided over a rod 28', whereby a roller 29 is urged resiliently toward the roll 3, the roller 29 being driven by means of a transmission belt of the operative machine 11, as already described above, so as to start the roll 3 at a peripheral speed corresponding to the linear speed of the machine 11.

FIGS. 4 and 7 show a fresh roll 3 revolving in a direction opposed to that disclosed with reference to FIG. 1, in which case an intermediate roller 30 is provided. The latter serves first the purpose of driving the fresh roll 3 at the same speed at which the working web moves in the working machine or the like, after which the roller 30 removes the glued portion of the web from the starting portion of the roll 3 and applies it to the end of the unwinding web. This starting portion of the web is maintained on the intermediate roller 30 by means of adhesive or suction means.

The effect of the intermediate roller 30 can be completed by the incorporation of an endless web 31 revolving over the roller 30 and by another roller 30 turning about a shaft 32.

For a butt-splicing, it is possible to provide, on a pressure roller 12, at the side of the knife 13', which constitutes a part of the general splicing system, a second connecting web 33, .to bring about the result illustrated in FIG. 1b.

FIG. 5 and 8 show an adhesive connecting web 34 which may be secured to its carrier or pressure roller 12' by means of a small number of adhesive or suction faces 35 aligned along two generating lines corresponding to the locations of the terminal edges of the connecting web 34.

In FIGS. 6 and 9, the same securing means provided through small adhesive or suction faces 35' are resorted to for engagement with a connecting web 34', and a frame carries the connecting web 34, which frame has longitudinal members 37 and cross members 36, both members being flexible in such manner that the frame may be applied over the cylindrical surface of a pressure roller and the longitudinal members 37 engaging corresponding recesses in the hearing roller.

While I have disclosed several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that these embodiments are given by example only and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

. I claim:

1. In a roll-changing and web-splicing machine, chiefly for feeding continuously printing machines and the like, the combination of a double-armed member pivoted intermediate its ends,

bearings disposed at opposite ends of said double-armed member,

two supplies rotatably mounted on the corresponding.

of said bearings and adapted to assume alternately a predetermined operative position and an inoperative position, respectively,

each of said supplies constituting a wound web,

means causing rotation of one of said supplies in its operative position,

means guiding said web unwinding off one of said supplies in its operative position into a path at a short distance from the other of said supplies,

mechanically operated means for splicing the end of said web unwound off said one of said supplies in its operative position with the leading end of said web on the other of said supplies,

an abutment secured to the end face of one of said supplies in its inoperative position, and

mechanical means controlled by said abutment and releasing said splicing means upon rotation of the corresponding of said supplies, when in its inoperative position, for a small predetermined angle.

- 2. In a roll-changing and Web-splicing machine, chiefly for feeding continuously printing machines and the like, the combination of a double-armed member pivoted intermediate its ends,

bearings disposed at opposite ends of said double-armed member,

two supplies rotatably mounted on the corresponding of said bearings and adapted to enter alternately a predetermined operative position and an inoperative position, respectively,

each of said supplies constituting a wound web,

means causing rotation of one of said supplies in its operative position,

means guiding said Web unwinding off one of said supplies in its operative position into a path at a short distance from the other of said supplies,

means for splicing the end of said web unwound off said one of said supplies in its operative position with the leading end of said web on the other of said supplies,

a removable abutment secured to one of said supplies in its operative position,

means controlled by said abutment and releasing said splicing means upon rotation of the corresponding of said supplies, when in its inoperative position, for a small predetermined angle, and

a knife disposed in its inoperative position opposite said winding web,

a lever engaging said removable abutment at a predetermined angular position of said supply carrying said abutment, when in its inoperative position, and releasing said knife.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,305,429 6/1919 Wood 24258.3 1,319,448 10/1919 Wood 24258.3 1,767,728 6/1930 Ball 242-58.3 1,960,767 5/1934 Wood 24258.3 1,967,056 7/1934 Horton 24258.3 2,039,463 5/1936 Tornberg 242582 2,071,440 2/1937 Tomlin et al. 24258.3 2,089,635 8/1937 Wood '24258.3 2,147,617 2/ 1939 McCleery 24258.3 2,190,058 2/ 1940 Doyle et al 24258.2 2,194,140 3/1940 Doyle et al 242582 2,320,657 6/1943 Roesen 24258.2 2,621,865 12/1952 Wieking 24258.3 2,745,464 5/ 1956 Auerbacher et a1. 156504 2,899,143 8/1959 Crosfield et a1 24258.3

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

L. M. MARTIN, D. E. WATKINS, Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A ROLL-CHANGING AND WEB-SPLICING MACHINE, CHIEFLY FOR FEEDING CONTINUOUSLY PRINTING MACHINES AND THE LIKE, THE COMBINATION OF A DOUBLE-ARMED MEMBER PIVOTED INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS, BEARINGS DISPOSED AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID DOUBLE-ARMED MEMBER, TWO SUPPLIED ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE CORRESPONDING OF SAID BEARINGS AND ADAPTED TO ASSUME ALTERNATELY A PREDETERMINED OPERATIVE POSITION AND AN INOPERATIVE POSITION, RESPECTIVELY, EACH OF SAID SUPPLIES CONSTITUTING A WOUND WEB, MEANS CAUSING ROTATION OF ONE OF SAID SUPPLIES IN ITS OPERATIVE POSITION, MEANS GUIDING SAID WEB UNWINDING OFF ONE OF SAID SUPPLIES IN ITS OPERATIVE POSITION INTO A PATH AT A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE OTHER OF SAID SUPPLIES, MECHANICALLY OPERATED MEANS FOR SPLICING THE END OF SAID WEB UNWOUND OFF SAID ONE OF SAID SUPPLIES IN ITS OPERATIVE POSITION WITH THE LEADING END OF SAID WEB ON THE OTHER OF SAID SUPPLIES, AN ABUTMENT SECURED TO THE END FACE OF ONE OF SAID SUPPLIES IN ITS INOPERATIVE POSITION, AND MECHANICAL MEANS CONTROLLED BY SAID ABUTMENT AND RELEASING SAID SPLICING MEANS UPON ROTATION OF THE CORRESPONDING OF SAID SUPPLIES, WHEN IN ITS INOPERATIVE POSITION, FOR A SMALL PREDETERMINED ANGLE. 